Nearly every complementary medicine sold in Australia carries a small AUST number on the front label. Most shoppers have never checked what it actually confirms — and the difference between the codes is bigger than it looks.
Every therapeutic good needs one
All medicines supplied in Australia must be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), administered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Each entry gets an AUST number displayed on the front label — this is the ARTG ID, and its prefix (AUST L, AUST L(A), or AUST R) tells you exactly what level of scrutiny that specific product actually went through.
AUST L: listed, not individually assessed for efficacy
AUST L covers most vitamins, minerals, herbal preparations, and probiotics — considered low risk based on their ingredients. Critically, these products are entered in the ARTG following self-certification by the sponsor (the company), not a TGA pre-market assessment of whether the product actually works. The TGA does conduct random and targeted post-market reviews of a small percentage of listed products each year, but the vast majority go to market without the agency having individually verified the efficacy claims.
AUST L(A): a middle tier most people don't know exists
Assessed listed medicines — AUST L(A) — sit between the two: they still use only pre-approved, low-risk ingredients and are entered via sponsor self-certification like AUST L, but their specific health claims have actually been assessed by the TGA for efficacy before they're allowed to use them, unlike plain AUST L products.
AUST R: the only category with a full efficacy evaluation
AUST R (registered) means the TGA has individually assessed that specific product for safety, quality, and efficacy — generally requiring clinical trial evidence. All prescription medicines are registered, along with many over-the-counter medicines like painkillers and cold treatments. Only a small number of complementary medicines go through this higher bar.
How to actually check a product
- Find the AUST number on the front of the label — it should read AUST L, AUST L(A), or AUST R followed by a number.
- Search that number directly on the TGA's public ARTG database.
- Check the listed sponsor, ingredients, and permitted indications match what's on the actual product in front of you.
- If a product makes strong disease-related claims but only carries a plain AUST L number, treat that gap between the claim and the actual assessment level as a genuine red flag.
Why this matters more than most consumers realise
Consumer research has found that a large majority of people have never actually looked up or acted on this distinction, despite it being printed directly on the label. Given that AUST L covers the overwhelming majority of vitamins and supplements sold in Australia, most complementary medicine purchases are happening without the buyer realising efficacy hasn't been independently verified by the regulator.
What this means practically
- An AUST number confirms a product is legitimately included in the ARTG — it does not by itself confirm the product works as claimed.
- AUST L is self-certified by the manufacturer; AUST L(A) has had its specific claims assessed; AUST R has been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy.
- The ARTG search tool is free and public — checking a specific AUST number takes under a minute.
- A strong health claim paired with only a plain AUST L number is worth extra scrutiny, since that level of listing doesn't require the TGA to have verified the claim.
Sources
- CHOICE — Listed vs registered medicines, what the difference actually means for consumers: choice.com.au
- TGA — AUST numbers on medicine labels: tga.gov.au
Related Kibbo Tools
- Supplement Label Safety Checklist — check a product's full label, including its AUST number, before buying.